Early Doors

Is this the worst penalty in football history?

Jason Puncheon reacts to having hit perhaps the worst penalty in Premier League history

Crystal Palace's Jason Puncheon thought Christmas had come late when the Eagles were awarded a penalty barely five minutes into their Premier League match against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

But his dream start quickly turned into a nightmare: Puncheon strolled up, looking full of confidence - but he somehow swiped his effort half a dozen yards high and the same again off to the left of the target.

Amazingly, the on-loan Southampton player is the first player to miss the target when taking a penalty in the Premier League so far this season.

But that stat won't be remembered - instead, all anyone will talk about is whether his effort was worse than those of David Beckham in Euro 2004 qualifying or John Terry in the 2008 Champions League final.

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Beckham misses his penalty against Turkey

Both were just as bad, but at least Beckham and Terry had the excuse that they'd slipped during their run-ups - Puncheon's was just plain atrocious.